Wheat scouring, washing, and drying machine.



C. DAWSON. WHEAT SGOURING', WASHING, AND DRYING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 26,1914.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

o. DAWSON. WHEAT SGOURING, WASHING, AND DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26,1914.

1,1 16,572, Patented Nov. 10,1914.

2 SHEE'Nr-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR A TTORNEY .3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DAWSON, OI TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

WHEAT SC OURING, WASHING, AND DRYING MACHINE. i

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Nov. 10, 1914;

Application filed February 26, 1914. Serial No. 821,343.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that ll, CHARLES DAWSON, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Vvashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheat Scouring, Washing, and Drying Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to machines for cleaning wheat and especially to such as wash and dry the wheat to separate it from the smut andother impurities therein.

The objects of my invention are to improve the machines at present in use for this purpose whereby the wheat will be more thoroughly scoured, washed, and' dried; whereby a more perfect ventilation is secured throughout the chambers; and whereby the efficiency of themachinesis materially improved. I attain these and other objects 'by the devices, mechanisms and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation,partl v in section, showing my improved machine; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof; Fig-3 is a cross-section thereof; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a small portion of the lower drum 7 showing a part of the covering plate in the scouring section of the'drum; and Fig. 5 is a section along the edge of one ofthe ventilating end plates of the drums.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views. The wheat is fed into thedistributing box 1 through the pipe 2. from whence it flows into the conditioner 3, in "the usual manner. A stream of water passes from the pipe 4 through the distributing box 5 into the same conditioner at a point immediately below the stream of wheat, and the two streams mix and flow over the rifl les 6 which collect any foreign substances mixed with the wheat (such as stones, nails, etc.) The mixed stream then flows down the inclined chute 7 into the lower part of the scouring section of the washer.

The washer consists'of' two horizontal cylindrical drums mounted one over the other ina suitable framework, in which suitable heaters revolve as hereinafter described, each drum'heing formed perforated plate 9 outside of perforated plates. The lower drum-8, into which the stream of Water and grain is discharged,

is surrounded at its receiving end by an unof the perforated plate, said plate 9 extending entirely around the drum and about one-fifth of its length from the said receiving end. If desired, the perforated late may be eliminated in that portion un er the plate 9 and a surfacing of abrasive material, such as carborundum, may be applied to the interior surface of the said plate 9. That portion of the cylinder 8 which is surrounded by the plate 9 is Where the wheat is thoroughly washed and scoured, either against the'rough perforations in the plate or against the abrasive on the inside of the plate 9, but in either case the water does not escape from the cylinder at this point. As before stated, the remainder of the cylinder 8 is formed with perforated Walls, as is also the upper cylinder 10 which is similar to the cylinder 8 except that it has no portion inclosed by an unperforated plate. The frames in which the cylinders 8 and 10 are mounted are provided with suitable bearings 11 coaxial with the said cylinders, and shifts 12 turn therein, being driven by suitable means. Air is admitted to the said cylinders through revolv-- ing ventilators each secured to the shaft 12 1 i at the required point and turningtherewith.

These ventilators consist of a number ofradiating vanes 13 which overlap each other and which are shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 5 so as-to scoop up the air with their outer edges and force it inward into the cylinder with their inner edges, the overlap being such that the Water and grain will not escape through them while they arein motion. One of these ventilators is mounted at each end of the cylinders 8 and 10 and drives a supply of fresh air thereinto. Each shaft 12 is also provided with a series of heaters secured thereto by suitable radiating arms 14.

The heaters consists of plates 15 which are mainly spirally bent but which are not radial to the axis of the shaft but are inclined backward therefrom as shown in Fig. 3. The receiving end 16 of each beater plate is bent out scoop up the wet grain and carry it at once away from the en ventilator and feed it to the spiral part of the beater. The delivery end 17 of each heater is also bent out of the spiral shape having itsedges parallel with the axis of rotation and having a slight ,curve on the extreme end to keep-the grain ofthe spiral shape to I cylinder 10. A vent hole 20 is provided in is mounted at the delivery end of the upper vare rotated, and is repeatedly thrown against the rough sides of the cylinder and is thus scoured clean; it gradually is drawn awa from the scouring portion by the spiral' orm of the heaters and then is similarly thrown against the perforated plates of the cylinder, through which the dirty water passes, being aided by the draft of air forced in at each end-of the cylinder by the rotating ventilators; in this Way the grain gives up a large proportion of the Water and itis finally thrown up the connecting passage 18 to the upper cylinder 10 where it is again seized by the heaters therein and all the remaining moisture is driven out therefrom by the centrifugal action and by.

the draft of air I which passes outward through the. perforations, until the grain reaches the end and is thrown'out therefrom through the delivery pipe 19.

claim is:

Having described my invention, what I In a wheat Washing and drying machine;

the combination with a fixed frame; of a hollow horizontal drum mounted thereon, said drum having no perforations therein at its receiving end but being perforated else- Ywhere; a rotating shaft mounted coaxially within said drum and extending from end 'to end thereof; inward acting ventilators mounted on said shaft at each end of the drum and adapted to force air into the drum at the ends and to drive it through the perforations in the wall thereof and to prevent the egress of grain from the drum;

heaters mounted on said shaft and po'si'- tioned whereby their acting surfaces are in- 'clined i'earvvardly to the radius of rotation thereof and having their main portions bent spirally about said shaft; scoop portions formed on the receiving ends of said heaters; and throwing portions formed on the delivery ends of said heaters and adapted to give the grain thrownthereby a tangential motion therefrom without any axial motion.

CHARLES DAWSON.

l/Vitnessesf- M. F.,MGNEIL W. S. LAGERQUTIST. 

